New York bans chatbots from posing as humans to minors
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Burkina 24
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law on 28 October 2026 requiring artificial intelligence companion platforms to verify users’ ages and prohibiting certain conduct towards minors. Chatbots will notably be barred from presenting themselves as human or expressing feelings, according to Burkina24, which also reports that the technology sector considers the law too vague.
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law on Wednesday 28 October 2026 a law barring chatbots from presenting themselves as human to minors, Burkina 24 reports. The law also requires operators to verify users’ ages and prevent conversational agents from claiming to be alive or to experience human feelings.
The law prohibits chatbots from presenting their exchanges with young people as a personal or professional relationship, taking on the role of a mentor or asking minors about their psychological state. It also bars them from describing their outputs as “opinions”. Its scope covers most generative artificial intelligence conversational agents available on the market, making it broader than measures adopted by other US states, including California.
Tech: NYC, an organisation representing the technology industry in New York, says the law lacks precision and could raise constitutional questions under the US First Amendment, which protects freedom of expression, among other things. It argues that protecting children should not restrict their access to tools for learning and preparing for working life.
